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CATS opens April 10 – 12, 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for 8 performances. [Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus

Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus

After celebrating its 30th anniversary on May 11, 2011, CATS, the longest continuously touring Broadway musical in history will return to Vancouver, BC for eight (8) performances Tuesday, April 10 – Sunday, April 15, 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

On May 11, 1981, CATS opened at the New London Theatre in the West End. Eight years later, it celebrated its first important milestone: after 3,358 performances CATS became the longest running musical in the history of British theatre. CATS played its final performance on its 21st birthday, May 11, 2002.

CATS opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City and continued to live up to its motto “Now and Forever.”  On June 19, 1997, it became the longest running musical on Broadway. CATS ended its 18 year run on September 10, 2000 with 7,485 performances.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS won seven 1983 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting, and Best Costumes.

Five continents, 26 countries, and over eight and a half million audience members later, CATS is still America’s most loved family musical. Celebrating not only its Broadway touring legacy but the birth of the musical spectacular, CATS is still revolutionary and awe inspiring.

Performances for the Vancouver show run Tuesday – Saturday evenings at 8pm, Sunday evening at 7:30pm with Saturday and Sunday 2pm matinees.  Tickets start at $35 (plus applicable charges), and will go on sale on Monday, December 19, 2011 through Ticketmaster by calling 1-855-985-5000 or purchasing online.